History of your Surname
Get access to Raphael family records.Start a free trial

Raphael Family History

Raphael Name Meaning

Jewish English and German; French and Haitian (Raphaël): from the Hebrew personal name Refa'el composed of the elements refa ‘to heal’ + El ‘God’. This was borne by an archangel in the Bible. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Italian Raffaele Spanish Rafael . English and Scottish: variant of Raffel .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Rachel, Rahal, Appel, Rammel, Raffel, Apfel, Lapham, Happel, Wachtel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Raphael family from?

You can see how Raphael families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Raphael family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Raphael families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Raphael family living in Kentucky. This was about 25% of all the recorded Raphael's in USA. Kentucky and 3 other states had the highest population of Raphael families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Raphael surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Raphael ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Raphael. 18% of Raphael men worked as a Salesman and 14% of Raphael women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Raphael were Manager and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Raphael | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    18%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Proprietor
    6%
  • Manager
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    14%
  • Saleslady
    11%
  • Bookkeeper
    9%
  • Stenographer
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Raphael family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Raphael. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Raphael census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Raphael

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Raphael. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Raphael immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Raphael. For the veterans among your Raphael ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Raphael military records

You've only scratched the surface of Raphael family history

Discover More

What is the average Raphael lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Raphael life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Raphael in 1948 was 43, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Raphael

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Raphael family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Raphael last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial